Secondary electric clock.



PATENTBD JULY 30, 1907.

R. L. HIGHT. SECONDARY ELECTRIC cLocK APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29- 1906[NI/ENTOR ROBERT L. EIGHT, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

SECONDARY ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed March 29,1906. Serial No. 308,708.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT L. EIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Secondary ElectricClocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a secondary clock, and particularly to anelectrically operated device of that character adapted for use incircuit with a master clock.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construetion andarrangement of ratchet wheel for the minute or dial train in connectionwith an armature lever for operating the same, with means carried by thesame for locking the holding pawl of said wheel in position when nocurrent is passing through the actuating mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedconstruction of second operating mechanism adapted to be actuated by thearmature lever to provide power for operating the second or time trainbetween the movements of the minute train.

Other and further. objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter fully set forth and the novel features thereof defined bythe appended claims.

In the drawing:Figure 1 is an end view of the invention; Fig. 2 is avertical section on line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4is a detail section on an enlarged scale of the armature lever and itsconnections.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in the several views ofthe drawing.

The numeral 1 indicates a frame of any suitable character orconfiguration upon which the actuating magnets 2 are mounted, thesemagnets being in circuit with any desired form of master clock in theusual manner by which the poles 3 of the magnets are adapted to attractthe armature 4 carried at the outer end of the armature lever 5 andprovided with projections 3 to prevent sticking. This lever is pivotallymounted upon the shaft or staff 6 of the minute or dial train and isfree to move thereon independent of the ratchet wheel 7, also mountedupon said shaft and secured thereto by friction disk 8. The armaturelever is duplicated at each side of the ratchet wheel, and secured uponthe shaft 6 by means of the friction disk 9 disposed between the collar10 secured to the shaft and the armature lever.

Extending upward from the armature levers are arms 11 adapted in theirtravel to engage projections 12 extending laterally from the holdingpawl 13 which is pivotally mounted upon the cross shaft 14 mounted inthe frame of the movement, said lever being held normally in contactwith the ratchet wheel by means of a spring 15 upon the cross shaft 14,as shown in Fig. 1. The arms 11 are each provided with recesses 16 toembrace the projections 12 on the holding pawl to lock the latter in itscontacting position when the armature is at rest, as shown in Fig. f.These armature levers and arms may be used either singly or at oppositesides of the ratchet wheel as shown.

With the parts as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, when circuit isestablished through the magnets 2, the armature levers are drawn upwardto the dotted line position swinging the arms back owing to the freemove ment of the armature levers, the ratchet wheel being held at suchtime against movement by the pawl, while the weight of the armaturelever and its armature in returning to the full line position whencircuit is broken through the magnets moves the ratchet wheel forwardone tooth or to a predetermined extent.

The usual train of gearing extends from the minute or dial shaft 6carrying the hand 17, to operate the sleeve gearing 18 carrying the hourhand 19 and comprises a pinion 20 secured to the shaft 6 meshing withthe gear 21 mounted upon a stud 22 carried by the frame 1. This gearalso carries a pinion 23 meshing with the gear 24 upon the inner end ofthe sleeve 18, as shown in Fig. 1.

The mechanism hereinbefore described is adapted to control and operatethe minute or dial train of gearing for the secondary clock, and for thepurpose of operating the second or time train of gearing in connectionwith the minute train I have provided a very desirable construction inwhich the propelling power for the second or time train is actuated ateach operation of the arm carried by the armature lever. This isaccomplished by means of a crank arm 25 pivotally mounted to swing upona journal 26 to which a ratchet toothed wheel 27 is secured. Thedepending finger 28 of the crank arm is disposed in the path of theupper end of the arm 11 from the armature lever 5 so as to be engagedthereby and thrown into the left dotted position shown in Fig. 4. Theopposite arm 29 of the crank is provided with a weight 30 and with apivotally mounted pawl 31 held in contact with the ratchet toothed wheelby a spring 32. The weighted end of the arm 29 is provided with a bufferblock 33 adapted to limit the upward movement of the weight by contactwith the cross bar 34 of the frame. With this construction it will beseen that with each upward movement of the armature lever the crank armis thrown from the right dotted position shown in Fig. 4 to the leftdotted position, thus raising the weight to its highest point andengagement of the pawl therewith.

providing means for driving the shaft or journal 26 in the downwardmovement of the weight by means of the Motion may be transmitted fromthis driving device to the second or time train of gearing in anydesired manner, for instance, the shaft 26 may be provided with gear 35secured thereto, and adapted to mesh with a barrel pinion 36 carriedupon the shaft 37 which is provided with the second hand 38 on the faceof the clock. Any suitable escapement mechanism may be applied to thissecond hand shaft, for instance, the gear 39 mounted thereon and meshingwitha barrel pinion 40 carried on a countershaft ll which also carriedthe escapement wheel 42 cooperating with the pivoted anchor 43 which isconnected by means of a lever 44 with the roller pin 45 carried by thebalance wheel 46, the shaft of which is controlled by the usual spring47 provided for that purpose.

In the operation of the mechanism it will be seen that at eachelectrical impulse from the master clock, the armature lever of thesecondary clock is raised into contact with the magnet, and the armcarried by said lever swung backward, while the ratchet wheel is held inits former position. The frictional contact of this armature lever withthe shaft carrying the ratchet wheel is such that in its return movementto the full line position shown in Fig. 4, the ratchet wheel is movedforward one notch by the weight of the released armature and itssupporting lever, and the arm engages the pin on the holding pawl topositively lock this pawl in position. The pawl can only be raised fromthe ratchet wheel when the armature lever is attracted to its magnet.This arm of the lever also provides means for raising the driving weightfor the second or time train as hereinbefore described to provide powerfor driving the said train during the interval between the impulses ofthe magnet. A secondary clock is thus provided which gives the secondindications as well as the hour and minute, the same as the masterclock, and is only here shown as provided with means for driving for oneminute at each lifting of the armature lever. This second or time trainmay be omitted, if desired, and the clock used with the ordinary minutemovement, and the mounting of the minute or dial movement is such thatthe armature lever can slip upon the shaft in one direction and carrythe escapement wheel forward in its return movement at which time thefinger-of the crank arm may assist the weighted armature in driving theratchet wheel.

Having now described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electric clock, aratchet wheel, a magnet, means for transmitting power from the magnet tosaid wheel, a train of minute or dial gears to be driven by said wheel,a train of second or time gears, and means carried by the shaft of saidratchet wheel for placing the driving means for the time train inposition for operation during the intervals between the movements of theratchet wheel.

2. In an electric clock, a ratchet wheel, a magnet, means fortransmitting power from the magnet to said wheel, a train of minute ordial gears to be driven by said wheel, a train of second or time gears,driving means carried by the time train, and means carried by the magnetconnection for placing said driving means in actuating position.

In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, a ratchet wheel, an armaturelever coiiperating with said magnet and mounted upon the shaft of saidwheel, a holding pawl to retain said wheel against motion in onedirection, an arm carried by said armature lever, a time train, anddriving means for said time train'disposed in the path of said arm to beplaced in position foroperation in one movement thereof.

-l. In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, ratchet wheel, anarmature lever cooperating with said magnet and mounted upon the shaftof said wheel, a holding pawl to retain said wheel against movement inone direction, a lateral projection carried by said pawl, and anangularly disposed arm carried by said lever and provided with means toengage and lock said pawl by said projection.

5. In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, ratchet wheel, an armaturelever coiiperating with said magnet and mounted upon the shaft of saidwheel, a holding pawl to retain said wheel against movement in onedirection, a lateral projection carried by said pawl, an angularlydisposed arm carried by said lever and provided with means to engage andlock said pawl by said projection, a second or time train of gearing,driving means therefor, and an actuating arm depending from said drivingmeans into the path of the arm carried by said armature lever.

6.111 an electric clock, an actuating magnet, ratchet wheel, an armaturelever coiiperating with said magnet and mounted upon the shaft of saidwheel, a holding pawl to retain said wheel against movement in onedirection, a lateral projection carried by said pawl, an angularlydisposed arm carried by said lever and provided with means to engage andlock said pawl by said projection, a second or time train of gearing,driving shaft therefor, a ratchet toothed wheel secured to said shaft,:1 weighted arm mounted upon said shaft and disposed in the path of anarm of the armature lever, and a pawl carried by said weighted arm toengage the ratchet toothed wheel upon the second or time driving shaft.

7. In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, ratchet wheel, an armaturelever cooperating with said magnet and mounted upon the shaft of saidwheel, a holding pawl to retain said wheel against movement in onedirection, a lateral projection carried by said pawl, an angular-1y disposed arm carried by said lever and provided with means to engage andlock said pawl by said projection, a second or time train of gearing, adriving shaft therefor, a ratchet toothed wheel secured to said shaft, aweighted arm mounted upon said shaft and disposed in the path of an armof the armature lever, a pawl carried by said weighted arm to engage theratchet toothed wheel upon the second or time driving shaft, a butterblock carried by the weighted arm of said crank, and an abutment carriedby the frame in the path of said block.

8. In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, a driving shaft having aratchet. wheel mounted thereon, an armature lever frictionally connectedto said wheel and provided with angularly disposed arms one of whichcarries an armature and the other provided with a locking recess, and apivoted holding pawl adapted to engage said wheel and having a laterallocking extension disposed to enter said recess when the armature of thelever is released from the magnet.

9. In an electric clock, an actuating magnet, a ratchet wheel, anarmature lever coilperating with said magnet and mounted to drive saidwheel in one direction, an arm carried by said armature lever, a timetrain provided with a ratchet toothed wheel upon the shaft of one of itsgears, and a two armed lever mounted to oscillate on said shaft andprovided with a pawl to engage said ratchet toothed wheel, one arm ofsaid lever being disposed in the path of travel of the arm of thearmature lever to be placed in position for operation in one move mentthereof.

10. In an electric clock, a train of driving gears pro vided with aratchet toothed wheel upon the shaft of one of said gears, a two armedlever mounted to rotate upon said shaft and provided with a pawl toengage said ratchet toothed wheel, an actuating magnet, an armaturelever provided with means for transmitting motion to one arm 01' saidtwo armed lever, and a driving weight carried by one arm of said twoarmed lever to rotate the shaft of saicirratchet toothed \vheel betweenthe actuating move ments of the armature lever.

11. In an electric clock, a dial train, a wheel for driving the same, atime train, a Weighted lever for driving the same intermittent of themovements of said wheel, an

10 actuating magnet, and means cooperating therewith for placing thedriving means or the time train in actuating position during itsmovement in one direction and for feeding the wheel in its oppositemovement.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. HIGHl.

Witnesses Hnnnnn'r .T. HALL, JOHN II. Cnm'nr.

